Khareef visitors shift towards new buildings and serviced-style units

SALALAH, JULY 8
Khareef is not only bringing visitors to Dhofar’s mountains, wadis and beaches. It is also reshaping Salalah’s accommodation map, as demand moves beyond hotels and traditional furnished flats towards new buildings and serviced-style units in residential areas that are increasingly becoming part of the seasonal tourism economy.
The shift is visible in areas such as Al Saada and Awqad, where newer buildings have attracted visitors looking for modern units, better access, cleaner facilities and a more organised accommodation experience during the monsoon season.
The trend reflects a maturing visitor market. Many families and travellers are no longer looking only for available space. They are comparing location, building quality, parking, cleanliness, access to services and booking conditions before making a decision.
This changing behaviour is turning ordinary residential areas into temporary tourism zones during Khareef. For property owners and real estate offices, it creates economic opportunity. For the city, it raises practical questions about parking, service standards, building management and the need for clearer seasonal rules.
The market is no longer a small seasonal side activity. It is one of the main channels through which visitor spending reaches property owners, real estate offices, cleaning services, maintenance providers, transport operators, restaurants and small businesses.
Ahmed Jaaboub, owner of a real estate office in Dhofar for nearly 20 years, said visitor demand during Khareef is increasingly focused on location and the quality of the property.
“The visitor is mainly interested in location,” he said. “Demand for new buildings is strong, especially in areas such as Al Saada and Awqad, because many of these buildings offer modern units and a style of accommodation closer to hotel apartments.” In Salalah, that challenge is becoming more visible as demand spreads into newer residential buildings. Some of these buildings offer good-quality units and help absorb seasonal pressure. Others may face practical limitations, particularly when it comes to parking.
Parking has become one of the quiet pressure points in the accommodation market. During Khareef, many visitors arrive by road from other governorates and GCC countries, often in family groups with private vehicles. When high occupancy meets limited parking, the issue affects not only visitors but also residents and surrounding neighbourhoods.
The accommodation market is therefore not only a real estate matter. It is linked to traffic movement, municipal services, cleaning, maintenance, tourism oversight, consumer protection and the wider image of Salalah as a seasonal destination.
Jaaboub said the priority should be a clear seasonal regulation for the sector, aimed at ensuring continuity and benefit for real estate offices and property owners while keeping the market organised.
Such regulation, according to market operators, should not restrict the sector. Rather, it should give all parties clearer expectations: the visitor, the property owner, the real estate office and the authorities supervising seasonal activity.
A practical framework could cover basic standards for daily rental units, accurate advertising, booking documentation, cancellation terms, cleanliness, safety requirements, parking information and a faster mechanism for handling complaints during the season.
It could also help protect serious property owners and licensed real estate offices from informal practices that damage market confidence. In a seasonal economy, trust is an asset. A visitor who has a good accommodation experience is more likely to return, extend the stay, or recommend Dhofar to others.
The wider lesson is that Khareef is no longer only a tourism event measured by hotel occupancy or visitor numbers. It is changing how parts of Salalah function during the season. Buildings become seasonal accommodation assets. Parking and service standards become part of the tourism experience.
This does not mean the market is in crisis. On the contrary, the strong demand for new buildings shows that the accommodation market is developing and that visitors are becoming more selective. But a growing market needs clearer rules if it is to remain fair, reliable and sustainable.